O'Gara swaps Racing 92 for Crusaders

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 10:39

TRANSFER NEWS: Ronan O'Gara will leave French Top 14 side Racing 92 to take up a coaching role at the Crusaders in New Zealand.

O'Gara, who played 128 times for Ireland, has been the defensive coach at star-studded Racing since 2013 and helped them win the 2016 French title, had been under contract until 2019 with the French side.

However, Racing 92 granted the 40-year-old an early release and he will begin his new role alongside Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson on Januray 1, 2018.

Racing released a statement confirming that the former Munster man and Ireland number 10 was approached by Crusaders and the club "did not want to deprive one of its faithful servants of a great opportunity,"

O’Gara's contract with Racing will expire next month and the club’s president, Jacky Lorenzetti, and coaches Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers have wished him luck on his move to Christchurch.

O'Gara could be the first of several high-profile departures from Racing 92 with 35-year-old World Cup-winning New Zealander Dan Carter rumoured to be leaving next year, possibly heading for Japan.